The present invention relates to a closing arrangement for drums, canisters, cans and similar containers of the type which have at least one plane end wall of sheet metal with a hole punched out in the end wall.
Especially for cans intended to hold liquid contents it is customary to arrange a closable emptying opening in the cans, which in its simplest form may be constituted of a stopper introduced into an emptying hole, but which may also consist of a threaded flange arranged in the end wall of the can onto which can be screwed a lid so as to form a seal.
When contents, consisting e.g. of liquid foodstuffs, are packaged in cans or containers of metal, the contents must not come into direct contact with the metal, since metal ions easily pass into the contents imparting a distinct metallic taste to the foodstuffs in question. This effect is particularly pronounced in cans and containers of sheet iron, and for this reason the sheet iron used for foodstuff packages must be coated with a protective layer of varnish or plastics. In general, cans and containers of the type referred to here are manufactured from sheet iron which has previously been varnished or coated, but if in containers manufactured from such a sheet pouring hole is punched out, the cut edge of the punched-out pouring hole has to be treated separately and provided with a coat of varnish or plastics or be protected in some other manner from coming into direct contact with the contents.
Such a separate treatment of the cut edge of the pouring hole is possible to perform, but it is relatively expensive, and if a closing arrangement in accordance with the invention is used, the need for a separate treatment of the cut edge of the pouring hole is eliminated at the same time as a tight, readily openable closing arrangement is provided in one of the metal end walls of the container.
The closing arrangement of the present invention comprises a tubular plastic body which can be pressed into a hole punched out in the metal end wall of the container. The tubular plastic body is provided with annular flanges, arranged preferably in a parallel plane, which embrace the edge zone of the said hole in such a manner that one of the said flanges rests against one side of the end wall and the other flange rests against the opposite side of the end wall. The cut edge of the hole along the whole of its periphery rests so as to form a seal against, or is embedded in, the surface layer of the tubular plastic body, and the tubular body, whose inner tube channel is adapted so as to constitute an emptying channel for the contents present in the container, is sealed on its top part by means of a cover disc attached to the top mouth of the tube channel along an easily breakable joint.